South Africa legend Mark Fish wary of Nigeria despite poor World Cup qualifiers form

By Oyediji Oluwaseun Babatunde

Former South African defender, Mark Fish insists Nigeria’s slow start to the 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers is not something that teams in the group should be excited about ahead of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Cote d’Ivoire.

The West Africans are drawn in the same group C along side South Africa, Benin, Zimbabwe, Rwanda and Lesotho in the race for a spot at the global showpiece, with the group winner to qualify directly to the World Cup finals.

The former Bafana Bafana centre-back believes overlooking the Super Eagles are doing such at their peril, stressing that the three-time African champions are totally a difference set up

“It is the West African rivalry against Southern Africa,” Fish told Brila FM.

“We [South Africa] want to better Nigeria’s achievements. Nigeria has got off to a slow start at the World Cup Qualifiers.

“It is the World Cup Qualifiers and what it makes is that to qualify for the World Cup is very difficult. No matter who you play, it is not going to be an easy game. Nigeria team will have better performance at the Afcon.”

The 2013 African champions will face Ivory Coast, Guinea Bissau, and Equatorial Guinea in Group A of AFCON 2023.